Leader board sees minimal separation in rainy conditions

Published: Sunday, August 18, 2013 at 01:54 AM.

Huh’s rocky start was nullified with his play for the rest of the day, but he was left stammering after his round trying to describe his adventure at No. 2.

Barely off the green to the left with his approach shot, Huh chipped through the green with his third shot. His fourth shot didn’t stay on the green and a merciful two-putt on a diabolical hole location put a crooked number on his scorecard.

“I told myself, ‘We’ve got 15 holes to go, and there’s another 18 to go (today), so it’s going to be a long day,’ ” Huh said.

Reed might be forgiven for his sour taste on a positive day after he missed a 10-foot putt for par on the 18th hole to drop back into a tie with Huh.

It also served a washout to the positive vibes from recording birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16, especially given that No. 14 has played as the hardest hole in relation to par for the tournament.

There was a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th, then another classic moment between husband and wife / caddie Justine Reed.

“My wife read a perfect putt on 16. I saw it going right, she said, ‘No, it’s going left.’ When you have 19 putts on the front nine, you’re going to listen to somebody else,” Reed said with a laugh. “Especially after watching John make the long putt on 16 to tie me, making that putt (to retake the lead) was a key point.”

GREENSBORO — While John Huh waited out a three-hour rain delay Saturday at Sedgefield Country Club, he told himself it would be a long day and to stay patient.

He also said “stay dry,” which was impossible on another rain-soaked day in the Triad.

So a triple-bogey at the second hole was reason enough for Huh to repeat the “stay patient” part.

“(Saturday) was the longest day I ever felt on a golf course, especially with that triple,” Huh said.

But the 23-year-old rallied with three birdies on the back nine for an even-par 70 and finished at 10-under for the Wyndham Championship. Huh heads into today’s final round tied with Patrick Reed, whose 1-over 71 was salvaged with three straight birdies on the back nine.

“It was a pretty rough start for me. Second hole, you don’t want to start with a triple,” Huh said. “But I was able to hang in there and keep everything together and here I am, tied for the lead.

“I’d say (Saturday) was a pretty good learning day.”

Huh and Reed top a leader board that has offered little room for separation since play began Thursday. Jordan Spieth, Bob Estes and Zach Johnson, who’s paired with the co-leaders for today’s early-starting final round, are one shot back at 9-under. Another threesome — Robert Garrigus, Matt Every and Brian Harman — sits at 8-under.

This will be Huh’s first time entering the final round with a lead — although he won last season’s Mayakoba Golf Classic with a final-round 63.

“It’s a little different feeling, I’m in a little different position as last year when I had a great year and a win,” Huh said.

Reed has been close to the top before and is without a PGA Tour victory, but he’ll draw mostly from the six times he played his way into tournaments in qualifying events last season as a rookie.

“It’s a Monday qualifier. I had a lot of success in Monday qualifiers and, that’s basically what it is,” Reed said.

And yet, the 23-year-old knows the opportunity was there to put some distance between him and the field after entering Saturday with a one-shot lead.

“I let everybody back in the field. … Now all of the sudden, as bunched as it is, it’s going to be whoever can go out and make as many birdies as possible (today) and shoot the low number,” Reed said.

Huh’s rocky start was nullified with his play for the rest of the day, but he was left stammering after his round trying to describe his adventure at No. 2.

Barely off the green to the left with his approach shot, Huh chipped through the green with his third shot. His fourth shot didn’t stay on the green and a merciful two-putt on a diabolical hole location put a crooked number on his scorecard.

“I told myself, ‘We’ve got 15 holes to go, and there’s another 18 to go (today), so it’s going to be a long day,’ ” Huh said.

Reed might be forgiven for his sour taste on a positive day after he missed a 10-foot putt for par on the 18th hole to drop back into a tie with Huh.

It also served a washout to the positive vibes from recording birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16, especially given that No. 14 has played as the hardest hole in relation to par for the tournament.

There was a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th, then another classic moment between husband and wife / caddie Justine Reed.

“My wife read a perfect putt on 16. I saw it going right, she said, ‘No, it’s going left.’ When you have 19 putts on the front nine, you’re going to listen to somebody else,” Reed said with a laugh. “Especially after watching John make the long putt on 16 to tie me, making that putt (to retake the lead) was a key point.”

On Saturday play began at 7 a.m. but was halted at 8:11. Golfers resumed play at 11:10, with the last group teeing off after noon and coming off the 18th green around 5:45 p.m. That schedule proved bothersome for Reed and other players.

“It just seemed to be one of those days where … You know, wake up early in the morning, expect to have a morning tee time, next thing you know you’re teeing off at 12:05,” Reed said.

-- TAP-INS …: Spieth was somewhat happy with his round despite shooting 70 because “Saturdays have been kind of tough days this year for me as far as being a moving day,” he said. … Defending champion Sergio Garcia sits in a tie for 10th at 5-under after his second straight 70. … Because of the rain, several tees were moved up from where they were for the first two rounds. The most notable was the par-4 sixth hole — normally playing at 423 yards — which played at 332 yards.